The present invention relates to a needle selection structure for a circular knitting machine, and more particularly to such a needle selection structure which is suitable for use in a rib knitting machine or interlocking knitting machine for a yarn into a ribbed or interlocking fabric.
A ribbed fabric has a certain flexibility and thickness, and is suitable for making clothes. When using a ribbed fabric to make clothes, it is not necessary to iron or calender the ribbed fabric because the rib border of a ribbed fabric does not curve. Because a ribbed fabric can easily be cut subject to the desired pattern, it is widely accepted by overcoat manufacturers. Because a rib-knitting machine is comprised of two sets of needles, it is superior over a plain knitting machine in pattern variation. A rib knitting machine is practical for knitting elastic fabric for making clothes, as well as for knitting a rib collar, rib cuff, rib trim, rib top, etc. Further, an interlocking knitting machine is similar to a rib-knitting machine. In early days, interlock fabrics were used for making underwear. Nowadays, interlock fabrics have been intensively used for making clothes. When a rib knitting machine or interlocking knitting machine is operated to knit a fabric, cylinder needles are lifted by cylinder cam, and plate needles are pushed outwards by a needle cam at a cover plate. The pattern formed by the knitting operation of the plate needles and the cylinder needles is determined subject to the paths of the cylinder cam and the needle cam. When changing to another pattern, the paths of the cylinder cam and the needle cam must be changed. It is time and labor consuming to change the path of the cylinder cam and the needle cam.